14 December 2005 – The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that a centennial anniversary celebration  of Filipino migration to the Islands entitled,  “Filipinos in Hawaii:  100 Years and Beyond” was held on 10 December 2005 at the Hawaii Convention Center to pay tribute to the Filipino sakadas who worked on the sugar and pineapple plantations in Hawaii and paved the way for the next waves of migration to the islands.

The newly arrived Consul General Ariel Y. Abadilla said “the celebration was also an effort to recognize the contributions of the Filipino community to Hawaii’s political, socio-economic and cultural progress. ”
 
Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano, as special representative of the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, read a proclamation declaring 2006 as Hawaii Filipino Centennial Year in the Philippines.  Joining Secretary Durano for the ceremony were Commission on Filipinos Overseas Executive Director Jose Z. Molano, Jr., Consul General Abadilla, Centennial Commission Chair Elias Beniga,  and local officials led by Representatives Neil Abercrombie, Kimberly Pines,  Rida Cabanilla,  Mr. Nelson Befitel from the Office of the Governor, Kauai Mayor Bryan Baptiste, and Maui Mayor Allan Arakawa.

As part of the Philippine government’s contribution to the centennial celebration, Secretary Durano announced that the Philippines, through the Department of Tourism, would participate in the Honolulu Festival in March.  He also assured the community that the Philippine government would support the year-long celebration in Hawaii, which will include visits to the Philippines by local officials, cultural performances and parades,  lecture series and round-table discussions,  a conference of Filipino-American associations, an art exhibit and a trade exposition in Honolulu in December 2006.

The Filipino community in Hawaii along with other guests participated in a wide-range of the day’s activities. The day ended with a commemorative gala dinner at the Hilton Hawaiian Village where a tribute was given to the ten oldest living Filipino sakadas in Hawaii.

Governor Linda Lingle,  Mayor Mufi Hannemann,  former Governor Benjamin Cayetano,  Senator Daniel Akaka,  and Representatives Ed Case and Neil Abercrombie also delivered their messages to the community “extolling the sacrifices of the sakadas and the contributions they and the succeeding generations of Filipino immigrants have made to provide for  greater opportunities and a better life for Filipinos in Hawaii and in the process contribute to the progress and development of life in Hawaii,” Consul General Abadilla said.

 Filipino artists Stephanie Reese, pianist Joselito Pascual and singer Rachel Alejandro provided the evening’s entertainment. END